A little while ago Andree of til the sun goes down contacted me to see if I would like to sew something up in one of her beautiful reproduction vintage fabrics. I was of course delighted as her fabric collection is stunning featuring a huge number of silks which you all know that I love to work with! I picked out this beautiful 1920s style daisy print as it reminded me of one of my all time favourite ready to wear tops from All Saints that I have had for years. I also thought it would be nice to work with something darker for a bit of a change of pace!
I knew instantly that I wanted to make up the blouse version of the Deer and Doe Reglisse dress that I pattern hacked last summer after making and loving the dress. This blouse also has a 1920s/1930s feel to it that I felt worked really well with the fabric, in fact it brings to mind a long sleeved one that Romola Garai wears in Glorious 39- one of my all time favourite films for fashion inspiration as any of you who follow me on Pinterest will know!
In order to convert the dress pattern to a top I extended the blouse from the waist to the length I wanted and I also removed the bust darts as I knew that this would be the type of top I would want to make in very delicate fabrics that I always feel work best without darts if at all possible. If anyone is interested in seeing what I did to the pattern step by step please just let me know below and I will do a separate post on it.
Constructing a fabric this delicate is not without its challenges, several of which I mentioned in my Tips for Sewing with Silk post. I actually decided to do a large percentage of this project by hand as I find that little hand stitches are by far the best thing on fabric so fine and sheer, especially when it is also cut on the bias! Of course this wasn’t completely necessary but I quite enjoyed doing it this way in the evenings, with my very helpful daylight lamp. Black is so hard to work with under regular artificial light.
I really like this pattern, and realistically it is far more use to me as a blouse than a dress due to my lifestyle and the climate here in London- both of which have me in jeans nearly every day of my life! In the black silk it is of course more of an evening top but one I think I could probably wear all year around!
Oh and for anyone wondering the title of this post is a play on the name of Andree’s shop. The Sun Also Rises is my favourite Hemmingway novel, also set in the 1920s. Well worth a read if you haven’t already.
Have you ever pattern hacked a dress into a top or vice versa?
Thanks for reading!
56 responses to “Til the Sun also Rises | Deer & Doe Reglisse Blouse”
Oh wow, this blouse is stunning. The fabric is beautiful and the style fits it perfectly. Absolutely stunning
Thanks Katy! 🙂
How cute! I love this as a top!!!
Thanks 🙂
Wow this is such a beautiful blouse Ami, the fabric is gorgeous. I would love to see step by step how you did your alterations, love love love your blog…can’t wait to see what you make next!! Xxx
Thanks Emma! Posting the tutorial later today 🙂
Beautiful and so elegant! I’m heading over to see what else they have…
Aw thanks Claire- she has lots of lovely prints 🙂
This is a lovely top, I’d like to see the steps you took to modify the pattern please!
Thanks Mary, I am posting the tutorial later today 🙂
That is gorgeous, and such a great idea. I have sewn this pattern as a dress but I would get so much more wear out of a blouse (I’m a jeans girls too!)
Yep I love dresses and like the idea of wearing them often but do always seem to end up in jeans! Hehe!
Beautiful blouse. The fabric and pattern go together so well. And yes, as I am always interested how to change a pattern, I would love a post about it.
Thank you! Posting the tutorial later today 🙂
Love this blouse – a beautiful fabric – perfect choice as always and you really suit darker colours as well as pastel shades. Also love your boots by the way. Ann x
Thanks Ann 🙂
I’m so excited to see a Reglisse blouse!! I had the exact same idea, though I haven’t actually retraced the pattern yet, and I also want to make 1920s drop waist dress version too. Now that I know it can actually be done, I think I’ll have to move this project to the top of my list. It looks even more cute than I was thinking it would! I love it.
It would make a lovely drop-waist dress! I might buy this pattern just to make it into a blouse now
You should def get the pattern Emily, esp as now we have three ways to use it! 🙂
Aw thanks Rochelle- oh yes you should absolutely do a drop waist dress too, would be perfect as that! The other style lines are all so 20s/30s already! May have to try that idea too 🙂
Lovely fabric, gorgeous blouse, love it!
Thank you! I love the fabric too 🙂
Just Beautiful perfect marriage of pattern and fabric :-)I am always so impressed that you sew so much by hand!
Thank you Nicole 🙂
Love, love, love your blouse, and your fabric choice was exquisite. Enjoy wearing it!
Thank you Maris 🙂
This looks lovely – is there a colour that doesn’t suit you??
I would love to see a step by step for turning the Reglisse into a blouse, thank you for the kind offer.
Do you think it would work in a Liberty tana lawn? I’ve just made a chiffon skirt – just need to practice doing a rolled hem on some spare fabric before I risk it on the actual skirt – and it was easier to sew than I expected but a nightmare to cut out so I’m giving the finer fabrics a miss for a few projects.
Aw thank you so much! Yes infact I am sure it would! I have made it up in a cotton lawn that is the same weight as a Liberty and it worked absolutely fine 🙂 Yep cutting chiffon is a bit of a pain isn’t it! I love doing hand rolled hems 🙂
It’s beautiful. I would really enjoy a step by step post. Thanks CM
Thanks Carolyn! Posting the tutorial later today 🙂
Beautiful blouse! As always, I love everything about it! I would love to see what you did to the pattern!
Interestingly, when I first got my sewing machine a bought several dress patterns, then realised that I’m hardly ever warm enough in the UK to wear a dress and also they don’t really fit my lifestyle either.
Aw thank you! No its not really is it- except for right in the middle of the summer! Oh well! Maybe some of the other patterns can be converted to tops too?
I am posting a video tutorial later today about how I adjusted this one 🙂
An absolutely beautiful piece. It makes me want to buy the dress pattern to make into a blouse! Yours looks so perfectly finished.
Thanks so much Ree 🙂
It’s just so lovely! I’d love to see a separate post on the way you converted the pattern too. And please would you also show the best method or stitches to use for handsewing a garment; that never even occurred to me!
Hi Danielle, I am posting the tutorial later today 🙂 In terms of hand sewing garments, if that’s an area you are interested in I would highly recommend Claire Schaeffer’s book called Couture Sewing as she covers which stitches to use where for all hand sewing on garments 🙂
Hi Ami, please could you post a tutorial how to make this blouse! Please, please 🙂 It just looks lovely and it fits Dubai weather!
Hi Maricel, I am posting a video tutorial later today 🙂 ah yes perfect little top for hot weather! 🙂
Super cute on you! I’m tempted to buy this pattern to make a top with silks from my stash! I would be interested in seeing the way you converted it into a blouse. Thank you so much.
Hi Susan , yes great idea, it’s such a good pattern for silks. I am posting a video on how I converted it later on today 🙂
That is a beautiful, versatile blouse – Perfect with jeans or something dressier.
Thanks Karen, yep you are right- maybe I’ll try it tucked into a skirt 🙂
This is just lovely. I’d love to see a brief tutorial on how you did it- especially removing the bust darts. Great work!
Thanks Sarah, I am posting a video tutorial on it later on today 🙂
Wow, really love this little top. You are giving me some hope that I could actually work with silk. I find it pretty scary.
I would love to hear all that you did to alter this, so please yes, another in-depth post.
Yep silk is a little intimidating, but not so bad after you know what to expect from it 🙂
I am popping up a little video on what I did to alter this later on today 🙂
Beautiful!! Such a great pattern adaptation. I’m with all those above who would like to see a tutorial on how you did this!
Thank you and no problem! I am posting the tutorial later on today 🙂
This top is beautiful, as all of your finished garments are. I wish I had the patience to create with the quality and detail that you do.
Aw thank you so much Andrea, you make beautiful things tho!!
What a wonderful combination! The fabric is super luxe and has a classic pattern, matched beautifully with the gorgeous shape of the blouse. Looks lovely on you and I can imagine, will be a great piece to reach for, in so many different occasions!
I’d love to read a post on your pattern construction (and adjusting) techniques : )
Gemma
http://www.fadedwindmills.com
Thanks so much Gemma, I am posting a video of what I did later on today 🙂
Ami this is beautiful! I love this blouse!
wow. Another beautiful creation. Perfect marriage of fabric and style. And I think that if you wished you could wear this during the day too…
I met up with Andree yesterday at the Nostalgia Show in Wiltshire. It was fab to see all the fabrics on show and items made up in them. I bought Jazz in the cream and black recently – have yet to make it up. Her new cotton sateen is such lovely colours and has a really nice feel to it.
I love this top you have done in ‘Margurite’ I think I should be getting this also as my lovely Mum’s name was Margurite, so it seems fitting.
Loving your blog. xx
Fabulous and inspiring